Aston Villa have reached an agreement in principle to sign 18-year-old forward Ibrahim Mbaye from European champions Paris Saint-Germain for €55m, with the clubs now completing the final paperwork.
The deal, reported by The Athletic, has not yet been formally completed, but the two clubs have agreed the value of the transfer. The relationship between Aston Villa chairman Nassef Sawiris and Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is understood to have played a significant role in negotiations.
Mbaye is regarded as one of the most promising young forwards in European football and had attracted interest from a number of leading clubs during the current summer transfer window. Liverpool were among the teams most strongly linked with the Senegal international.
He joined the Paris Saint-Germain academy from Versailles in the summer of 2018 and progressed through the club’s age-group sides before making his senior debut in August 2024, aged 16.
Since then, Mbaye has made 42 appearances for the Paris Saint-Germain first team, scoring four goals and providing four assists. He featured 31 times in all competitions last season, contributing three goals and two assists.
His form has also seen him establish himself as a regular member of the Senegal squad. Mbaye previously represented France at youth level, but later switched his international allegiance and made his debut for Senegal in November 2025.
He has won 15 international caps and played in six of Senegal’s seven matches at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Mbaye also started three of the team’s four games at the 2026 World Cup, scoring in the opening match against France.
The proposed transfer is part of a major overhaul of Aston Villa’s attacking options. The club have completed eight signings during a busy transfer window and are preparing to announce Nicolas Jackson as their ninth arrival.
Villa’s forward line has undergone significant change following Morgan Rogers’ departure to Chelsea in a club-record deal worth £117m. Ollie Watkins is also reportedly close to moving to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.
Aston Villa have already secured Alejandro Garnacho on a season-long loan from Chelsea. They also made an intensified attempt to bring Rafael Leao from Milan on loan, but the Italian club instead accepted a €45m offer from Turkish side Galatasaray.
The Premier League club have further explored a deal for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, although their offer did not meet the London club’s valuation. Villa have also asked about Bayer Leverkusen forward Christian Kofane.
Any move for Mbaye would therefore add another young attacking option to a squad being reshaped for the new season. The agreement with Paris Saint-Germain represents one of the most significant deals in Aston Villa’s current recruitment drive, although the transfer remains subject to the completion of formal procedures.
